Institute study describes how probability of recovery in idiopathic vocal fold paralysis changes over time

The probabilty of recovery in idopathic vocal fold paralysis is almost always stated as aggregate rate for all affected patients. Examination of the Parker Institute experience shows that this does not reflect clinical reality well. In a paper published in the January 2018 issue of The Laryngoscope, Husain and co-athors show that the probability of spontaneous recovery changes, decreasing over the course of the condition until it reaches near-zero at slightly more than one year from onset. The aggregate rate is accurate only for those patients very early in the course of the disorder, but overstates the real probability of recovery for most affected individuals -- sometimes markedly so. This likely biases management in favor of nonintervention or temporary measures when definitive management may be more appropriate. The data from the Sean Parker Institute provide a more reliable guide for clinical decision-making. More information at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28736846